Diamondback
Diamondback is a steel hyper coaster in the Rivertown area at Kings Island. It is similar to the Behemoth hyper coaster at Canada's Wonderland. Ride history Construction and announcement Construction on Diamondback began on October 11, 2007, when construction crews removed a tree. The park's Swan Lake was drained and filled with concrete shortly before the park's opening day for the 2008 season. During Fourth of July weekend 2008, Kings Island teased its guests, putting up posters reading "Ride sally ride" and "Steep incline ahead". Diamondback was finally announced by park officials on August 6, 2008. On October 30, 2008, the top of the ride's 230-foot lift hill was topped off. The track was completed on January 26, 2009 and started testing approximately one month later. First-rider auction On February 3, 2009, several weeks before Diamondback's testing began, Kings Island announced they would be holding an auction, in which people would bid to be among the first public riders to board Diamondback, receive a park admission pass, and receive a special first-rider ticket. The proceeds went to A Kid Again, ''a non-profit organization. The first eight trains, or 256 seats, were auctioned off. Opening Diamondback opened to the public on April 18, 2009. Ride synopsis The ride starts once the train starts its ascent up the 230-foot lift hill. Upon reaching the top, the train descends the 215-foot drop at 74 degrees, over the Rivertown midway. It then makes an upwards right curve up a 193-foot hill and down a drop into a ravine, curving to the left once again and ascending a 131-foot camelback hill and drop, which curves left once again into the hammerhead turn. The train then enters a 129-foot hill, which then leads to a 287-degree downwards helix, where the on-ride camera is located. The train then drops again into the ravine, which raises into a bunny-hop hill, and then into a final bunny-hop hill and a 323-degree clockwise helix. The train then passes over the Rivertown midway once again, which leads to the ride's famous splashdown. After the train exits the splashdown, the train is led into the final brake run. The train then makes a U-turn back into the station. Trivia Records *Diamondback is Kings Island's biggest investment for an attraction, at $22 million. Formerly, the park's biggest investments were The Crypt and Son of Beast, both at $20 million. *Diamondback is the first B&M coaster to be constructed at Kings Island. *The coaster is also the first hyper coaster to feature a splashdown in its layout. Statistics *The first-rider auction gained $102,000. *The trains are the same prototype used by Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland, Intimidator at Carowinds, and Shambhala: Expedicion al Himalaya at PortAventura. *Diamondback's train is approximately 5,282 feet, just two feet longer than a mile (5,280ft). *One cycle on the ride lasts approximately 3 minutes. *Diamondback has 10 drops overall. Awards NAPHA Survey: Best New Attraction in 2009 *Diamondback won the NAPHA Survey in 2009 for Best New Attraction. Golden Ticket Awards Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll Photo Gallery Screen Shot 2013-12-01 at 9.59.11 AM.png|''Diamondback's lift hill and splashdown via Google Maps. Category:Kings Island Category:Rivertown Category:2009 Category:Fast Lane